Portable self propelled excavator



Aug. vl5, 1950 F. L. wHlTE 2,513,954

PORTABLE SELF-PROPELLED EXCAVATOR ATTORNEY:

Aug. l5, 1950 F. 1 .wHn'E PORTABLE SELF-momma!) ExcAvA'roR 2 Slieets-Sheet 2 Fled'June 1l, 1945 INVENToR: FRED LWHITE BY; j M

TTORNEY.

vice is transported over the ground. Rotatably supported thereon in a conventional manner is a deck or upper body structure 2 on which a suitable prime mover 3 is mounted, the prime mover in this instance being an internal combustion engine although an electric motor or any other type of mechanism suitable as a prime mover may be employed.

The prime mover drives a shaft 4 (Fig. 3) which is connected to the prime mover by a power transmitting means 5. Shaft 4 drives a gear system or train 6 for supplying power to the swing and travel mechanism, the latter shown in the transmitting means 1, 8 and 9. The swing mechanism is not shown since it, as well as the travel mechanism, is conventional and well known in the art and a specific disclosure thereof is not essential to the instant invention. Power for travel and swing mechanism is supplied from the shaft 4 through the means of suitable spur and bevel e;

pinions. Shaft 4 vhas a combination clutch and gear device I3 thereon, which drives a hoist or winch drum I4 by means of a gear and shaft mechanism I5, I6 and I1.

The shaft 4 extends entirely across the machine g,-

and while appearing to be in two sections it is in reality a single shaft. For reasons of clarity it is shown divided in order to better disclose other mechanism. The shaft 4 also has a gear and clutch device I9 thereon that drives a winch or hoist drum 23 through a gear and shalt mechanism 2l, 22 and 23. The function of the two winding drums I4 and 2G will be subsequently set forth. The mechanism 6 and its components IIJ, II, I2, the clutch and gear combinations I3 and I9 associated with shaft 4 are part of the reversing mechanism for the swing and travel mechanism all of which are operated from the single shaft 4.

Gears I1 and 2I are continuously engaged with gears I3 and I9. This connection requires continuous .rotation of the shafts IS and 22 also making gears I and 23 continuously rotatable.

as well as the drums I4 and 2D. The drums are made selectively rotatable by the use of clutches I4" and 20" associated with the gears I3' and I' and when operated in selective conjunction with brakes I4 and 20 enable the complete rotational control of the winding drums. This combination enables the positional control of the i@ mechanisms operatively connected to drums I4 and by means of cables subsequently described.

The shipper shaft for the dipper and its associated handle is driven from the shaft 4 through a gear 23 fixed to the shaft 4 which drives a second gear 24 having a clutch 25 operatively associated with the gear 24 mounted on a shaft 25a to drive a drum or power transmitting support 26. If desired a brake mechanism 21 may be associated with drum or support 26 to hold the dipper in any predetermined position.

Clutch 25 controls the application of power to drum or support 26 and a gear or sprocket 28 secured thereon has a power transmitting element in the form ofa gear chain thereabout which drives a cluster sprocket or gear set having wheels 29 and 3I rotatably mounted on a shaft 30. Shaft 30 is also the pivot for the excavator boom. Gear or sprocket 3| has a power transmitting means 32 thereabout which connects with gear 33 fixed to the shipper shaft 34. The control described thus far is a crowd control for urging the dipper into the working face of the material being removed.

Retract means for the shipper shaft 34 is pro- 4 vided which comprises a, clutch and gear combination 35, the gear portion of which meshes with gear 24. The clutch and gear combination 35 is mounted on a suitable shaft 36 on which a gear or sprocket 31 is mounted. A power transmitting means 38 runs about gear 31 and another gear 39 on the drum or support 26. The combination clutch and gear 35 is known as the retract control for withdrawing the dipper from the working face of the material being removed. The clutch and gear combination 35 and the gealv and clutch combination 24, 25 constitute a reversible drive mechanism for the shipper shaft 34. Suitable controls for the clutch elements of the combination are provided organized and arranged in a manner such that only one clutch may be closed at one time. These controls are also coordinated with brake 21 whenever the latter is provided.

Shaft 4 has a gear 40 secured to the end thereof which meshes with a gear 4I mounted on a shaft 42. Gear 4I has associated therewith a winch, clutch and brake mechanism 43, 44 and 45 respectively and further associated with the shaft 42 is gear or sprocket 46. Sprocket 46 has a power transmitting means 41 thereabout which drives a gear or sprocket 48 driving conveyor shaft 49. A clutch 50 is operatively associated with the gear or sprocket 46 to control the application of power to conveyor shaft 49. Suitable clutch controls are provided to control the operation of the winch and conveyor drives.

The deck or upper body 2 has suitable brackets 2 thereon to receive rod o1' shaft 30 on which gear or sprocket cluster 29, 3| is rotatably mounted. The boom 5I is pivotally mounted on the shaft 30 and moves vertically about the shaft as an axis.

Mounted on the deck 2 is bracket or frame 52 in which elements 4I, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 5U are mounted. A suitable frame or bracket supports the crowd and retract control previously explained. This support or frame mechanism being conventional in the art no specific frame 1 structure is therefore illustrated.

Supported on the upper body or deck 2 and frame 52 and its complemental frame member is a gantry frame comprising elements 53, 54 and 55. The rst mentioned parts are rod or bar members that extend from the edges of deck 2 and up from the approximate center of the deck 2 over the frames 52 is a, rod or support 51. Rod 56 braces frame 52 which also absorbs some of the thrust applied by the gantry frame because of the stressing of the bars 53 and 54. Bars 53 and 54 are duplicated on the opposite side of the deck 2 as viewed in l and partially shown in Fig. 2 thereby constituting the gantry frame a rigid support from which the boom 5I and conveyor 5B are suspended.

Conveyor' 53 is pivoted to the supporting rod 54 by means of pivot pin 54 which extends through an aperture in an enlarged portion on the rods 54, the conveyor having bosses or brackets 58 suitably apertured through which pivot pin 54' extends. The bosses or brackets 58', only one of which is shown, are disposed in axial alignment, one on each side of the conveyor and are arranged as close to the lower end of the conveyor as possible to keep it as close as possible to the discharge end of the dipper handle 86. Eearing rod is operatively associated with bars 53, 54, the frame 52 and the thrust members 59, 60 by means of a pin 6I, there being a similar pin connection on the other side of the conallinea@ veyor 58. The several members described reinforce the enti-regantry structure.

The ccmveyor'58V and `boom 5t are both suspended from; shaft 5l by :suitable cable and reev ing connections. The conveyor' and vboom are proportioned'by weight and thrust to substantiallyf balance each other to thereby reduce the stressen the shaftor support 51 andl the gantry structure supporting. the; shaft' 5:1. f

Disposed on. the outer or free end of the boom 51k axshaft or rod B2 .on which pulley brackets 6d andliv arev meant-ed yhauling pulleys or sheaves 65 and; 63:' rotatably kmcmnted thereon. A support di.' is suspended fromthe rod 5I by means of bars 63'., 68'.. .The sheaves 10 and il are rotatably mounted in the sup-porti?. The cable' T2 for ver tically-moving boom is deadl ended on-thesupport 621 and is then led around sheave d'4, thencel around sheaves To, Il, vrtl'lence around sheave-S, and over the sheave 13 rotatably mounted on rod 5T and dow-n to thewinch or drum 20 driven from the gear and clutch combination i9.

The conveyor 53 has sheave frames lll, 15 pivu cted thereonr 'from suitable brackets secured to the end of the conveyor. sheaves 16, 'l1 are rotatably' mounted in thev iframes.` Suspended from the shaft or rod l Aby means of vbar members '58 T9 is a frame or Ysupport 8B having sheaves 3l, 8'2 rotatably mounted therein. lThe cable .83, by means of which theconveyor is vertically adjusted, is dead ended on the frame e on the opposite side of the machine frornthecable 12. Cable 33 isled about sheave ll, thenceabout sheaves 8 l., 8,2, thence. about. sheave l5, thence about sheave 8.5 rotatably mounted on rod 5l to the drum I4 of the hoist driven by the clutch and gear combination L3.

The foregoing. structuraldescription shows that when thedrumsltand 2li are operated the boom 5l and conveyor 53 will have their vertical posi.- tions adjusted vand thatthey will .substantially counterbalance. each other .thereby balancingfthe machine as a Vwhole and stabilizing the entire excavator structure by reason of -thesuspension oi the boom and conveyor tromthel gan-trystructurc.

The dipper assembly comprises a channel shaped handle member S6 and a dipper''l. The clipper 8l isprovi-dedfwith the usual digging teeth and the channel member has Side 'elements Vor members '88 and 89 (Fig. 4) the lower edges of which are toothed or racked to engage with gears 9o and Si on the shipper shaft 3d. The crowd and retract mechanism previously described control' the movements ofthe clipper assembly 85'. The dipper handle 86 is provided' Vwith a wear resisting liner S2 over at least a portion of its length.

The clipper assembly has a pivoted pulley support'93 mounted on the end thereof to which the frame of padlock sheave 94 Vis pivotally secured and in which thesheave V95` is rotatably mounted. The boom shaft. B2 has two sheaves 96, 91 rotatably mounted thereon about which the cable. 98 is passed. Cable Qis dead-ended on the boom 5l. and isthenledover sheave 96, thence around sheave d5., thence over .sheave 91 to they drum i3 of thehoist controlled by the clutch and kbrake elements M and 45. Elements 43, 44 and 45 vertically operate the dipper assembly 8,5 in the that is rotatably supported'in thev conveyor at onevend thereof. Sha-ft 49- isfrotatably mounted in the other end of the conveyor 58. Sprocket or gear |94. is secured to the shaft 49` for rotation therewith. The conveyoris made up of. a channel member w3 reinforced by side members W2, i012. Conveyor 58 `is known as a Flight Type- Conveyor which basically comprises 'a double or single 'chain andhaving a plurality of ylats |00, secured theretor The chain `belt or belts (not shown) pass: around sprocketsllf, ll mounted on shaft 49 and also about sprockets mounted on the shaft Q9.. The drive 'for the chain belts has been set forth above. The floor'v of the. conveyor may, if desired, be provided with one or more trap doors H15-, optionally manually removable to enablel the discharge of material from channel member H13 closer to the excavator. The direction of movement of the conveyor chain andlat belt is'indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. A screw conveyor may also be used and is considered to be ivi-thin the purview of the invention.

lA master control station 'H3G is provided Lon he excavator to regulateand control' the several brake and clutch elements described above. Materialpicked up or loosened by the dipper is discharged therefrom down the channeled handle member Soon-to the conveyor 58 to be discharged therefrom at a place remote from the machine. No turning or Aswinging of the upper body or deck 2 is necessary. |The d'ipper assembly is simply held in an elevated position allowing the material to slide down 'the handle 85 ontothe vcenveyor 5B thereby speeding the removal and' disposal of material picked up by the clipper. The idle time of the machine is reducedbecause the dipper can be kept adjacent the working face at all times. The only swinging of the upper body necessary is to position the clipper adjacent suc-Y ceedingcuts on the working face.

When. the. dipper picks up more material than can. readily slide down the handle onto the conveyor, the handle 8S mayfhave a checkgate |33 arranged in suitable rslots in the handle. The gate Hi8 is moved vertically by a pivoted. handle mechanism lill). This may be arranged near the. operators control station |06 previously discussed. Handle` lldispivoted to fulcrum lill', the handle `|99 being preferably manually operated by the operator. A suitable power mechanism such as pistonecylinder'device or other mechanical means controllable from the operators station |06 may be employed. The gate |03 enables the operator to regulatey the ow of material onto the conveyor 5S. f

That which is regarded new, novel and useful and which is sought to be protected by Letters Patent of the United Statesv is as follows:

l. In an excavator comprising a swingably mounted upper body; a boom, one end of which is 'pi-voted to said upperbody; means to vertically adjust said boom; a dipper and handle mechanism associated with said boom; means to crowd and retract said clipper; a conveyor, one end of. which is pivotally mounted on said upper body receiving material discharged from said dipper through said handle; means to vertically adjust said conveyor; means to operate said `conveyor; and means on said upper body substantially balancing the unpivoted end of said boom, said dipper against the unpivoted end of said conveyor such vthat the thrust due to the weights of each are opposed to eachother through said means to thereby stabilize the upper body,

asignar 2. A portable excavator comprising a swingable upper body, a boom having a dipper and handle assembly thereon pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor pivotally supported on said upper body; means on said upper body jointly supporting said boom and conveyor so that said conveyor substantially counterbalances said boom and associated parts; means to actuate said boom and said conveyor; and means associated with said oonveyor to selectively discharge material carried thereby at a point removed from the outer end thereof.

3. A portable excavator comprising a swingable upper body; a boom, dip-per and handle assembly pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor pivotally supported on said upper body, means on said upper bc'dy jointly supporting said conveyor and boom to align said boom and conveyor and to enable said conveyor to substantially counterbalance said boom, dipper and handle assembly; and an optionally removable trap door means Iin said conveyor to enable material carried therein to be discharged from the conveyor before being carried to the end of the conveyor.

4. In a self-propelled material handling mechanism; a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted on said chassis; a boom assembly pivoted at one end thereof to said upper body; a conveyor pivoted at one end thereof on said upper body; a gantry device one end of which is secured on said upper body; and means operatively associating the unpivoted ends of said boom assembly and said conveyor with the other end of said gantry so that said boom assembly and conveyor substantially balance each other.

5. In a self-propelled material handling device; a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted on said chassis; a boom assembly having one end pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor having one end pivoted on said upper body and aligned with said boom assembly; a gantry device one end of which is secured on said upper body; and means to adjust the elevation of said boom assembly and conveyor including cable connecting the unpivoted ends of said boom assembly and said conveyor with the other end of said gantry and enabling them to substantially counterbalance each other.

6. In a self-propelled material handling device; a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted on said chassis; a boom assembly having one end thereof pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor assembly having one end pivoted on said upper body; a gantry mechanism one end of which is secured on said upper body; means to alter the vertical position of said boom and conveyor assemblies; and cable means connected between said means and the unpivoted ends of said boom and conveyor assemblies and operatively associated with the other end of said gantry, said boom and conveyor assemblies substantially balancing each other through the upper end of said gantry.

7. In a self-propelled material handling device; a chassis; an upper body rotatably supported on said chassis; a gantry device one end of which is secured on said upper body; a boom assembly having one end pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor having one end pivotally supported on said upper body; an individual hoisting mechanisrn for said boom assembly and for said conveyor; sheave means associated with the other end of said gantry device; and cable means connected between each hoisting mechanism and the unpivoted end oflsaid boom assembly and the unpivoted end of said conveyor and operatively associated with said sheave means in order to alter the vertical position of each while substantially balancing each other in order to stabilize said chassis and upper body.

8. In a self-propelled material handling device; a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted on said chassis; a gantry device supported on said upper body and having sheave means thereon; a boom and dipper assembly having one end thereof pivoted to said upper body; a conveyor having one end thereof pivoted with respect to said upper body on said gantry device; a pair hoisting mechanisms on said upper body; cable means connecting each of said mechanisms and the free ends of said boom assembly and said conveyor and operatively associated with said sheave means to alter the vertical position of each pivoted member; said dipper pivoted to said boom and adapted to discharge material onto said conveyor; and said gantry device supporting the free ends of said boom and conveyor so that said upper body is substantially stabilized.

9. An excavator comprising a chassis having an upper body rotatably supported thereon; a boom; means to pivotally support one end oi said boom on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a dipper consisting of a scoop and a channeled handle and operatively associated with said boom; a conveyor; means to pivotally support one end of said conveyor on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; means on said upper body to support the unpivoted ends oi said boom and said conveyor so that said conveyor and said boom substantially counterbalance each other; means to actuate said dipper; and means to actuate said conveyor so that material discharged thereon from said scoop through said handle may be conveyed to a point remote from the excavator working face without rotating said upper body.

10. An excavator comprising a chassis having an upper body rotatably mounted thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a support on said upper body; means to suspend the unpivoted end of said boom from said support and which includes means to adjust the vertical position o1" said boom; a dipper to remove material from an excavator working face which consists of a scoop and a channeled handle; means to actuate said dipper; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted,

said conveyor lying in substantially the same vertical plane as said boom and dipper; means to suspend the unpivoted end of said conveyor from said support which includes means to adjust the vertical position of said conveyor, said conveyor counterbalancing said boom and dipper through said support to thereby stabilize said upper body; and means to actuate said conveyor so that material discharged thereon from said scoop through said handle may be removed to a point remote from said excavator working face.

11. An excavator comprising a chassis having an upper body rotatably mounted thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a dipper to remove material from an excavator Working face and consisting of a scoop and a channeled handle operatively associated with said boom; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; means on said upper body to support the unpivoted ends of said boom and said conveyor so that they substantially counterbalance each other through said means to thereby stabilize said upper body; and means to operate said conveyor so that it may convey material discharged thereon from said scoop through said handle to a place remote from the excavator working face without rotating said upper body.

12. An excavator comprising a chassis having an upper body swingably mounted thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a dipper to remove material from an excavator working face and having a channeled handle connected thereto and operatively associated with said boom; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; means on said upper body from which to suspend the unpivoted ends of said H boom and said conveyor so that they counterbalance each other through said means to thereby stabilize said upper body; means to adjust the vertical position of said boom; and means to actuate said conveyor so that material discharged thereon from said dipper through said handle may be conveyed to a place remote from the excavator working face without swinging the upper body on said chassis.

13. An excavator comprising a chassis and having an upper body swingably supported thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a dipper to remove material from an excavator working face consisting of a scoop and a channeled handle operatively associated with said boom; a conveyor, one end o'f which is pivotally supported with respect to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; means on said upper body from which to suspend the unpivoted ends of said boom and said conveyor so that they counterbalance each other through said means to thereby stabilize said upper body and when it is swung; means to change the Vertical position of said conveyor; and means to operate said conveyor so that it may convey material discharged thereon from said dipper through said handle to a place remote from the excavator working place without swinging said upper body.

14. An excavator comprising a chassis; an upper body rotatably supported thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; and means on said upper body from which to suspend the unpivoted ends of said boom and said conveyor so that they counterbalance each other through said means.

15. An excavator comprising a chassis; an upper body swingably supported thereon; a boom on said upper body; a conveyor on said upper body; and means on said upper body to support each end of said boom and said conveyor so that they counterbalance each other through said means to thereby stabilize said body during operation of the excavator and whenever said upper body is swung on said chassis.

16. An excavator comprising a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and Whose other end is unpivoted; means on said upper body from which to suspend the unpivoted ends of said boom and said conveyor; to thereby enable said upper body to be stabilized; means to change the vertical position of the unpivoted end of said boom; means to change the vertical position of the unpivoted end of said conveyor; and means on said first mentioned means about which each of the two last mentioned means operate to enable said boom and said conveyor to be vertically adjusted independently of each other.

17. An excavator comprising a chassis; an upper body rotatably mounted thereon; a boom, one end of which is pivoted to said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; a dipper operatively associated with said boom; a conveyor assembly, one end of which is pivotally supported on said upper body and whose other end is unpivoted; and lateral thrust absorbing means mounted on said upper body from which the unpivoted ends of said boom and said conveyor are suspended in a manner to enable the lateral thrust of said boom and associated dipper and of said conveyor to be placed in substantial opposition to each other to thereby stabilize said upper body.

18. In a device as dened in claim 17 which includes means to adjust the vertical position of said boom without changing the vertical position of said conveyor.

19. In a device as defined in claim 17 which includes means to change the vertical position of said conveyor without changing the vertical position of said boom and its associated dipper.

20. In an excavator, a chassis; an upper body swingably mounted on said chassis; a boom, one end of which is pivotally associated with said upper body and having a dipper and handle mechanism; a conveyor, one end of which is pivotally associated with said upper body and that receives material from said dipper through said handle; means on said upper body associating the unpivoted end of said boom and its associated dipper and handle mechanism with the unpivoted end of said conveyor so that the devices substantially counterbalance each other; and means to. change the vertical position of said boom and said conveyor.

FRED L. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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